Bidet Reviews – Page 10 – Home Improvement Dude

In this article, we’ll be looking at the best bidets on the market for women. I.e., the best bidets with gender settings. With the help of my sister, girlfriend, and women on different forums, the bidets in this article were chosen based on which models have the features most useful for feminine hygiene and preventing vaginal and urethral infections, as well as their own preferences in what they look for in a bidet. The best overall bidet for women is the Brondell SWASH LE99. It has a frontal wash capability and can be outfitted with a filter for added protection against infection. Other great options include the BB Slim ONE (value option), LUXE Neo 185 (budget option), Purrfectzone sprayer, and TOTO K300 (luxury option). What to Look For in a Bidet for Women Whichever bidet you choose, make sure it has a frontal wash feature--a function sometimes missing, especially with non-electric bidets. On the product specs, here are a few things to look for: Dual nozzles or single 2-in-1 nozzle. The bidet will need to be dual-nozzle (one for front and the other for rear) or a 2-in-1 (or 3-in-1) nozzle for spraying the posterior and frontal regions. Adjustable nozzle position. These are pretty much a given with electric bidets. This feature gives you more precision with aiming, which is important for making sure you hit just the area you're looking to clean. You don't want to spray "back to front" or dirty water can migrate to the urethra. A good bidet will let you adjust the cleaning wand across 5 positions from the rear-most to front-most positions. Retractable, self-cleaning nozzles. These are standard on all but the most primitive bidets. Some attachments, namely, the solid chrome kind, have nozzles that don't retract or self-clean--I.e., the kind that operates on a swivel but remains exposed to the toilets contents when doing the number 1 and 2. Some have sanitized nozzles. These include self-disinfecting nozzles and cleaning wands coated with antimicrobial additives. These aren't necessary, but they are a nice bonus. Also, when choosing a bidet, always make sure you pick the version that’s right for your toilet. All but the last two options should be available for both elongated and round toilets. The Pearl and K300 only come in elongated. Best Bidets for Women: Quick Summary Chart Female-Friendly Feature(s)BidetSingle, 2-in-1 Nozzle for Female + Posterior CleansingBB Slim ONE, Brondell LE99, TOTO K300 Dual Nozzles for Female + Posterior CleansingLUXE Neo 185 Least Front-to-Back Spray DirectionAll Electric Bidets + Handheld OptionOn-Demand Self-Cleaning All but Handheld OptionAutomatic Self-Cleaning Nozzle(s)(Self-Rinse w/Each Use)Brondell LE99 and TOTO K300Automatic Self-Sanitizing Nozzle(s)TOTO K300Retractable Nozzle w/ShieldLUXE Neo 185Retractable Nozzle Concealed Inside SeatBrondell LE99 and TOTO K300Self-Cleaning Toilet Bowl (PREMIST)TOTO K300Compatibility with Water FilterAll but LUXE Neo 185 Other Feature(s)BidetChild-Friendly Wash Mode(Kid Wash or User Presets)BB Slim ONE, Brondell LE99, TOTO K300 Easiest to InstallLUXE Neo 185 and Handheld Option Least ExpensiveLUXE Neo 185 and Handheld Option Warm Air DryerBrondell LE99 and TOTO K300 Cold Water OnlyLUXE Neo 185 and Handheld Option Endless Heatet (Never Cold) Water Brondell LE99 and BB Slim ONE Endless Warm Water at Max TempTOTO K300 Self-Cleaning Toilet Bowl (PREMIST)TOTO K300 Nozzle Oscillation and Massage ModesAll but LUXE Neo 185 and Handheld Option Wireless RemoteBrondell LE99 and TOTO K300 The Overall Best Bidets for Women The Brondell LE99 Electric Seat Hands down, the overall best bidet for women is the Brondell LE99 electric seat (Amazon link). This was the girl's number one pick and I agree for a few reasons. It's marketed as “entry-level” but it has several features that make it more of a premium or advanced option, in my book. What the Girls Liked Front wash mode with retractable, self-cleaning nozzle. Compatibility with external water filter. Wireless remote instead of side panel. Endless heated water. Air dryer for TP savings. Goes with more bathrooms (non-bulky, minimal color and labels, etc.). Installation-friendly as electric bidets go. Best bidet for the money. With the LE99, you’ll get as many features as possible for a bidet in this price range. With a hybrid heater, you get a longer supply of warm water--a feature that's less common with bidets at this price point. The warm air dryer comes in handy. It’ll save you tons of toilet paper in the long run which is good for the wallet and the environment. In fact, by ditching toilet paper, the bidet will pay for itself sooner than you'd think. In my experience, both men and women prefer low-profile bidets that are mostly white with few decals, because they go with the widest range of bathrooms. IMO, there’s no such thing as a bidet that doesn’t look like a bidet, but the LE99 is about as close as you’ll get. It has a slim, relatively non-bulky design and has very few labels. As for size, it has a rear height of 5.7” (~15.5 cm). Keep in mind that bidets can be as high as 7.5” in the back. Also, instead of a bulky side panel that sticks out, the LE99 has an aesthetic wireless remote. Wireless remotes are more convenient, look better, and don’t cause installation problems by getting in the way (side panels interfere with certain types of toilets and can be hard to fit in cramped spaces). Speaking of installation, the LE99 is available for round and elongated toilets. The electric cord is on the longer side (an extra half-foot), so it’s less likely you’ll need an extension cord. Water filters are mostly meant to protect the bidet from hard water which can gunk up the works. But filters do offer hygiene benefits. You probably won't need one for water cleanliness unless you live in an area with poor water treatment. Benefits for Female Hygiene The 2-in-1 nozzle: instead of having an extra nozzle for vaginal cleansing, the LE99 uses a 2-in-1 nozzle (single wand with two holes) that can cover the entire perenial region. Automatic, self-cleaning nozzle. Soft but strong water pressure, reducing the risk of back-to-front spraying. Precision aiming: the nozzle can be adjusted to five positions. Having clean nozzles is important for reducing the risk of infection. Self-cleaning nozzles are standard these days--pretty much all modern bidets have them. But they're often "on-demand" instead of automatic, meaning the user has to remember to operate the function. The LE99 has a nozzle that cleans itself before and after each use without needing to be reminded. Multi-hole nozzles have been shown to be equally effective compared to dual nozzle setups and perhaps more reliable (having fewer moving parts is usually a good thing). Overdoing water pressure can be easy, but this one has a max output of 0.21 gal (0.8 L) per minute which isn’t over the top. This is important because excessive pressure can cause water from posterior cleansing to reach the urethra. There is a turbo mode, but the water isn't overly strong by default. Bio Bidet USPA 6800U Another great option in a similar price range is the Bio Bidet USPA 6800U. You can usually find a good deal on this one, especially for the elongated version. You can check current prices here. It's also available in round. This bidet is much like the LE99, but it has a dual nozzle setup. So, it has two nozzles, one for front and the other for rear cleansing. The girls didn’t try this bidet, but I chose it based on its similarity to the above Brondell LE99. For example, it has the front wash mode, self-cleaning nozzles, compatibility with a water filter, a wireless remote control, etc. It has more convenience features than any other bidet in the lineup: you can save your preferred nozzle position, water temp, water pressure, seat temp, and dry temp. In addition to a one-push auto mode that initiates a generic wash + dry cycle, this bidet has a child wash button. Kids can press the button with the child icon to get an automatic cleansing session with child-friendly features in place. Here are some of the features of the USPA 6800: Front and rear wash modes via dual, self-cleaning nozzles. The front cleansing nozzle has the longest range of any nozzle I’ve seen to accommodate all different body types. The bidet never runs cold. When the warm water tank empties, the temperature drops but continues to spray at about 90.9° F (32.7° C). Oscillation and massage/pulse modes. Adjustable everything: warm air dryer, heated seat, water temp and pressure, etc. Sleek luxury double-sided wireless remote with LCD display. User presets (the ability to save your preferred settings), easy one-push operation mode, and child wash setting. It has a blue in-bowl nightlight for bathroom navigation in the dark. A carbon filter deodorizer that keeps the bathroom air smelling fresh. A slow-close seat and lid and easy bidet removal button for cleaning, etc. Anyway, you can't go wrong with this one. It is one of the more popular entry-level bidets on the market. The Bio Bidet Slim ONE Smart Toilet Seat If you're looking to keep costs to a minimum but still enjoy the benefits of electric bidets, a good option is the Bio Bidet Slim ONE electric seat (Amazon link). It offers most but not all of the features of the LE99. Most notably, it’s missing a warm air dryer and wireless remote—two of the more expensive bidet features—helping drive the cost down significantly. Another difference is in the warm water supply. The warm water runs out faster compared to the LE99 but the water never drops below room temperature thanks to what they call “fusion” heating technology. What the Girls Liked Among the least expensive electric bidets on the market. Never-cold water supply. Minimalistic design. Child wash mode for those with kids. Again, you’ll get a shorter supply of truly warm water with the Slim ONE (about a minute) but it should never run cold because the fusion technology is supposed to keep the water at about room temperature. This is a great feature to have during the winter and for those who live in especially cold climates. There’s a wash mode meant for kids that’s pretty innovative. When selected, the user gets a preset wash/dry cycle. This is so that small children won’t have to know which settings to choose. The setting automatically uses lower water pressure and temperature levels. It also uses a lower seat temperature setting to prevent low-temperature burns. Benefits for Female Hygiene Feminine spray function. Adjustable water pressure. Stainless-steel, 3-in-1 self-cleaning nozzle. Compatibility with external water filter. In this case, the nozzle isn’t automatically self-cleaning, so you’ll have to remember to use it. I’d suggest cleaning the nozzle with each use. As mentioned above, the water filter is meant for extending the life of the bidet for those with hard water problems. In the case of the Slim ONE, it’s recommended that you don’t use an external filter unless you have an issue with hard water. I'm not sure why, but I'm guessing because it may affect (lower) the water pressure. But you can install a filter for hygiene purposes if you’re worried about the water quality (that it might be dirty). Non-Electric Options for Women Non-electric bidets include bidet attachments and manual seats. I'm also including handheld sprayers. They're usually not referred to as non-electric bidets, but they are bidets and they are non-electric. What the Girls Like Affordable and easy to find. Super simple installation with cold water bidets. Most options can spray the front and rear. Warm water options are available. Non-electric bidets are inexpensive and can usually be found for $30 to $120. If warm water is important, options are available that can tap into the hot water line under the sink. Coldwater bidets are the most common and by far the easiest to install. Cons of Non-Electric Bidets (General) Most offer cold water only. High pressure can be an issue. Dual temperature (non-electric) bidets are a pain to install. Not compatible with external water filters. Warm water, while not hot enough to kill microorganisms, is better at removing oils from the skin--oils that that may harbor bacteria if not rinsed regularly. But water temp is mostly about comfort. You don’t need warm water to get a good cleansing. And, of course, any bidet is far better than toilet paper. You can install an external filter on non-electric bidets and sprayers, but it would lower the pressure because there's not an electric water pump downstream of the filter. Again, this is not a problem unless you only have access to contaminated water. As for pressure, non-electric bidets work off of the home's water pressure which can be quite strong potentially causing a back-to-front spray direction. It's unlikely to be an issue, but something to keep in mind. The Luxe Neo 185 The best bidet attachment for women is the LUXE Neo 185 (Amazon link). A lot of attachments on the market have a single nozzle that only sprays the rear. Sure, you can straddle the toilet AC Slayter-style to hit the front area, but that would be some serious water pressure. Thankfully, dual nozzles are more and more common these days. The Neo 185 is the first bidet in the LUXE lineup that has an extra nozzle for female hygiene. It also has on-demand self-cleaning nozzles for better sanitation--another feature that's lacking in the more entry-level LUXE bidets. Just turn the lower dial to the Nozzle Clean setting before and after each use and both wands will be doused in a stream of water. The Purrfectzone Bidet Sprayer If you're a true minimalist, the Purrfectzone sprayer is a great option (Amazon link). Sprayers lack features most have come to expect from modern bidets, but they have several advantages and can be used to clean the entire perennial region. In truth, bidet sprayers are pretty basic so there's not much that could make one option more or less suitable for women or men. But there are some things to keep in mind. The Purrfectzone sprayer has a wider nozzle head with plenty of holes for a water flow that's softer and less concentrated. One thing I like about sprayers is that they're super simple to install and are usually up and running in about 10 minutes. When it comes to price, this sprayer is about average for handheld bidets. They're usually anywhere from $15 to $60 and this one is about smack in the middle. So, it strikes a good balance between price and quality. With manual spraying, you get full control over aiming. After all, if you want something done right do it yourself. Don’t get me wrong, the electric seats are easy to aim and very precise with a bit of practice. But, with handheld bidets, you can come at an area from any angle. For warm water, you can purchase a mixing valve separately. If you're wondering about douche attachments, there are plenty of bidet sprayers that come with attachments for deep cleaning. They're usually marketed as bidet enema and douche kits. For health concerns, I didn't include one here. For more info, see the section further down on avoiding infections. The Luxury Option The TOTO K300 Luxury Bidet The best high-end bidet for women is the TOTO Luxury K300. The girls really like this one and would've chosen it as number one if not for the price. Whether the extra features are worth the added cost is up to you. The K300 isn't marketed as a luxury bidet, but it’s about as luxurious as reasonably-priced bidet seats get. It really is the best high-end option for women, in my opinion. It offers all of the features of the S550e (the most luxurious bidet) that are most important for female hygiene but is usually about half the price. What the Girls Like Unlimited warm water. This is probably the best feature offered by the higher-end bidet seats. The heating technology in this model provides a continuous warm water supply so you don’t have to worry about running out mid-wash. It comes in especially handy for women because the front and back regions can be cleaned in one session without the water running cold. Best-looking bidet. This bidet has a sleek almost unnoticeable design—it just looks like a nice, high-quality toilet seat. Several spray patterns. The nozzle can pulse and oscillate/massage. A deodorizer to remove embarrasing odors. This model has a deodorizing unit. A small fan pulls bathroom air through a carbon filter that breaks up odorous molecules keeping your restroom smelling clean. Instead of masking bad odors like airfresheners, the deodorizer breaks down offending molecules. The usual features: a warm air dryer, controls for pressure and temperature, an soft-close lid, a heated seat. Features Important for Female Hygiene The usual: self-cleaning, retractable nozzle with adjustable nozzle position (via remote) for accurate aiming. Self-disinfecting nozzle. The nozzle on the K300 not only self-cleans, but self-sanitizes. It automatically rinses before and after each use with something called Ewater+, an all-natural electrolyte solution that forms sodium hypochlorite, a natural compound used to treat water. A feature that cleans the toilet bowl. This is an awesome perk. A sensor knows when you sit down and, when triggered, a cleaning solution is sprayed into the bowl that keeps the toilet bowl clean by preventing poop from sticking. The Alpha UX Pearl Luxury Bidet The Alpha UX Pearl is like the TOTO K300 in many ways but tends to be available for less. Like the K300, it is only available for elongated toilets. This bidet I’d recommend over the K300 if you can get it on sale. You can check out current prices here and here. It actually has a few features not included with the K300. For example, it has user presets in addition to two one-push operation buttons for general convenience—one that initiates a wash cycle and the other a wash + dry cycle. It has one of the slimmest, lowest-profile designs on the market with a rear height of only 4.5”. Instead of using EWATER+ for nozzle cleaning, this model has a basic automatic self-cleaning function and comes with an arced nozzle design that’s meant to promote hygiene by reducing splash back. If you’d prefer EWATER+, you can always install an ionized filter. Here are some of the key features: Single, dual-action arced stainless-steel nozzle that resists soiling. Compatibility with water filters. Instant heater for endless warm water. After an hour of testing the bidet, I measured the water temp in the mid 90’s Fahrenheit (low 30’s Celsius). The water didn’t get quite as warm as with the K300. Oscillation and massage/pulse modes. Adjustable heated seat, warm air dryer, water temp and pressure, etc. Wireless remote with handy control knob at the side of the bidet. 2 user presets + 2 easy one-push operation modes. Intelligent in-bowl LED nightlight that is white instead of blue. The light turns itself on and off based on light conditions. A maintenance-free photocatalytic air deodorizer that eliminates embarrassing odors. It’s maintenance-free in that you needn’t swap out air filters. A slow-close seat and lid and easy bidet removal button. Air plasma toilet bowl sanitizing feature. Waste that adheres to the toilet bowl surface harbors bacteria and odorous compounds. This feature uses charged particles to eliminate bacteria and break down odor-forming compounds. Are Bidets Safe for Women? Are They Beneficial? A Word on UTI’s, Vaginitis, Yeast Infections One common question is whether bidets are safe for women, and if so, whether they confer any health benefits specifically for women. When used correctly, bidets are generally considered safe for women. To prevent disruption of vaginal flora, manufacturers warn against overuse of the frontal spraying function. Also, it's thought that bidet use may pose a UTI risk for women whose urethra is more proximal to the anus (1). Links between bidet use and infections are pretty weak at the moment so more studies are needed. One study found no significant association of urogenital issues with bidet use (2). Urogenital issues include conditions like UTIs and cystitis. Another study failed to show a significant link between bidet use and bacterial vaginitis (3). In other words, bidet seem fine for the vast majority of women if certain precautions are taken. And any issues reported so far are due to misuse of the bidet or to anatomical irregularities. Some precautions to take include: Avoid excessive pressure. Of the instances of bidet use potentially causing UTI’s (due to anatomical abnormalities), it’s thought that excessive water pressure may have been a contributing factor. If the pressure is too high, the jet stream may cause water to migrate from the anus to urethra causing contamination with enteric microbes. Don't overuse the frontal spray mode. It's not conclusive, but it's thought that over washing the frontal area can dry the region out disrupting the vaginal flora which can lead to infections and irritation. Avoid douching and douche attachments/kits. Douching remains popular but pretty much every health organization recommends against it. Institutions like the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology and US HHS warn of all kinds of problems from STI's to troubles getting pregnant (4). In theory, bidets could offer benefits for women when used as intended. For example, Medline Plus, a US government website that puts out health info for the general public, gives a few guidelines for preventing vaginitis, aka vulvovaginitis, which is inflammation or infection of the vagina. In giving a few tips, they mention that it’s a good idea to cleanse the perennial area with warm water and avoid using soaps and other chemicals that might cause irritation (5). Bidets are typically used without soap, cleaning only with a gentle stream of warm water. Compare that with using toilet paper to dry after urinating. Most toilet paper comes with perfumes and other additives that can cause irritation. If you get an electric bidet, you can use filtered water which will help further reduce potential irritants being introduced to the genital area. Conclusion Hopefully the above is helpful. Most features that make modern-day bidets so attractive are appealing to both men and women. But, there are a few features that women should take into consideration when looking to make a purchase. As mentioned in the intro, the main function you’ll want to look for is a frontal wash feature. I’m not sure why this function isn’t more common—initially, I thought it would come standard. It seems like it would be easy to engineer into a seat and given that half of all adult consumers are women, you’d think that having a frontal wash feature would be par for the course. Anyway, while the function doesn’t come standard on bidet seats, it is fairly common. The models mentioned above just happen to be the best in my own experience researching, talking to owners, and reading reviews. That’s it for now. Thanks for reading.